Compare towns
Belgrade vs Gray vs Windham vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belgrade has the oldest population (median age 47.3).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Belgrade | Gray | Windham | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,351Lowest |
8,429 |
19,188Highest |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6Highest 6% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Belgrade and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$83,488±$10kLowest 12% above ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,200±$44kLowest 5% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$336,200±$34k 13% above ME |
| Windham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,340±$304 18% above ME |
| Gray and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859 6% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$2,474Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Belgrade and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 14 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.